The worst thing a person wants to hear is: “You’re doing it wrong.” When that happens, there is often this bit of pride within that immediately retorts with questions of how they know it’s wrong or if they really know what is happening. Occasionally, there are times where this phrase has greater consequences, such as an improperly performed act which could cause injury or death (i.e. a vehicle’s breaks being put together incorrectly). An even more dangerous instance of this phrase is connected to salvation and a person’s message and/or method of how one might be saved. When this message is not completely wrong, but combines one method of salvation with another to create a new method, it is called syncretism, which should always be followed with a form of the saying: “You’re doing it wrong.” Regretfully, this phrase is needed on the mission field today as syncretism can be found in many places that would deem themselves Christian. “Often in places like Africa, Christianity is seen as a mile wide and an inch deep. There is no transforming work that the cross has made in people’s ways of seeing their world.” (Dirks, 2012) The task now comes to figuring out and combatting syncretism. Though there are many other causes of syncretism, the greatest is a lack of knowing and the resultant actions. In the same line, the greatest method to combat syncretism is to provide knowledge, true knowledge of the living God, without compromise, in a manner that can be understood by those who are being taught. Syncretism is therefore rooted in knowledge, which is both its greatest cause and greatest remedy.
As in most problems, the first step towards a solution is identification. In this case, the first step will be to identify syncretism. One definition is as follows: “Syncretism (Greek, ‘binding together’) is the process of mingling different philosophies, religions or traditions of belief and practice, resulting in hybrid forms.” (“Syncretism, 2002) When it boils down to it, syncretism is an oxymoron, a contradiction of terms. Behind a syncretous belief lays a lack of knowledge as many beliefs, philosophies and traditions simply cannot coexist. It is humorous to see the “COEXIST” bumper stickers that consist of different religious symbols. These bumper stickers are the closest many of these belief systems can ever be to each other as the very fiber of their origins are contradictory. One example of syncretism can be seen in rural African situations where Church leaders do not see a disconnect between worshipping the one true God as well as consulting the local witch doctors for malaria remedies. By incorporating the worship of the one true God and the cultural placement of witch doctors, they have successfully created a syncretous belief system. The question now arises as to what is the cause of syncretism in this and other cultures.
According to one website, “Syncretism is caused by many things, not the least being that man has a propensity to reject or suppress God’s truth. (Romans 1:8)” (“Syncretism- Evangelism Misconceptions, a Real Problem,” n.d.) Within every person is a desire to be the ruler of their own world and reality. In order for this to occur, they must reject the truth within their hearts for the lie that has been repeated since the serpent in Genesis 3: “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” (ESV) An internal rejection of knowledge must occur for syncretism to begin. And when the person or persons are presented with the saving knowledge of the Gospel, syncretism will continue and worsen if those presenting this truth do so improperly. Relating a time where he encountered syncretism, Lee C. Wanak states: “I was dismayed to find ‘faithful’ pastors wearing anting-anting (fetishes). But we had taught no theology of the land to the spirit world or economics or justice or political process or healing that related to their context.” (Wanak, n.d.) Here, the missionary himself takes responsibility for the syncretism experienced as the group failed to provide the complete theological knowledge required in the situation. In general, it is this lack of knowledge that allows a person to easily combine different philosophies to create their own “-ism.” It is also a lack of knowledge that allows the African tribesman to incorporate their worship of the One True God (which is not debated) with their view of witch doctors and ancestor worship. Knowing the definition of syncretism, it is now important to learn the Biblical perspective and history of syncretism.
Syncretism has been present as long as the Law of Moses. The first two of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 address syncretism:
You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (English Standard Version or ESV)
Therefore, from the beginning of the law, it is known that worshipping any other god is not allowed. Following this law is a law against creating and worshipping idols. What is important to note is that in this language, it is implied that the true God (Yahweh) is still worshipped. The culture of Exodus was one where monotheism was unheard of and the danger lay not in forsaking Yahweh, but in combining worship of Him with worship of others. Hence, there shall be no other God before Him and there should not be any idols or graven images (which would represent other deities alongside Him. God foreknew the danger of syncretism and subsequently commanded against any possibility that His chosen people would fall subject to such an act by worshipping other gods in conjunction with their worship of Him. He reiterated this command in Exodus 34 as the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land as it was inhabited by other cultures known for pagan worship and idolatry:
Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods. (ESV)
In this passage, it is interesting to notice the common language in describing God as jealous between this and the previous passage in Exodus. Ignoring the fact of there being only one true God, His jealousy is important because it points to his just wrath. This jealousy is unlike the jealousy of man in that He is holy and therefore, His jealousy is holy as it would be the result of the Israelites’ whoring after their gods, creating syncretous belief systems. Eventually, this command and the previously mentioned commands become eerie reminders to the Israelites as this is exactly what they did as their syncretism ended up defining their history. As the syncretism of the Samaritans is described in II Kings 17:
They also feared the Lord wand appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away. To this day they do according to the former manner. They do not fear the Lord, and they do not follow the statutes or the rules or the law or the commandment that the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel. (ESV)
This time follows other times of syncretism within the Israelite narrative where many before this group succumbed to its allure and suffered the consequences. Regretfully, this narrative does not result in the lesson being learned as the author of Hebrews reiterates the point saying: “Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.” (ESV) With these examples and warnings in mind, it is easy to see that the knowledge the Israelites and the Hebrew Christians around Rome had was a knowledge of the one true God, but their knowledge of Him proved to not be as prevalent as needed since (at least in the case of the Israelites) their syncretism is well documented. Sadly, their examples proved not to be the last.
Other examples of syncretism can be found wherever the Gospel is preached (yes, even in the Promised Land: Western Culture). The previous mentioned article on syncretism provides an example of syncretism in a rural mission field setting:
Typically speaking, tribal people do not understand trade languages very well, so the message they heard was not clear to them. Nonetheless, the villagers enthusiastically embraced “Christianity.” They simply added what they thought the Bible said to what they already believed. They combined the two and ended up with a third religion, a syncretization of two very different worldviews. (“Syncretism- Evangelism Misconceptions, a Real Problem,” n.d.)
This is perhaps the most basic example and definition one might find where a small knowledge of theology was simply combined with knowledge of cultural beliefs. Undoubtedly, this step might be part of the natural progression as some come to a salvific faith in Christ, it is essential to remember and treat it as a step though, and not simply allow this combination to continue. When examining Western examples of syncretism, the painful history of segregation is nauseatingly present as many pastors and religious organizations used the Bible as a means to promote segregation. Ashamedly, the issue has yet to be resolved:
Martin Luther King Jr. once said 11 a.m. Sunday is the most segregated hour in America. Now, 40 years after King's murder, only 7 percent of America's churches are considered racially mixed. That's a disappointingly low number for Biggers, who said he's tired of hearing that churches continue to be mostly segregated on Sundays. (Harris and Soden, 2008)
The sorrow of this reality shows that syncretism is bred by lack of knowledge and (as previously stated) wherever the Gospel is preached. The question, then, is what is the solution? If “no one is safe” from syncretism, what should be done to combat this plague that resulted in the demise of God’s Chosen people in the first two thirds of the Bible? Quite simply, the answer is knowledge.
A person’s culture is like their fingerprint: unique to them. Granted, there are similarities that draw them together, like a swirl or geographical origin, but each is unique. It is important to be a student of culture in every situation. If possible, it is important to envelop cultural norms in one’s life as avenues to present the Truth: “To communicate clearly, it helps to have a shared heart language and culture.” (“Syncretism- Evangelism Misconceptions, a Real Problem,” n.d.) By knowing the culture and therefore living in the culture as much as is possible, genuine opportunities to present the Gospel may be presented. To simply ignore one’s culture and attempt to present the Gospel would prove to be futile as each person’s culture is part of who they are. Randy Dirks said that:
When we deal with people coming to Christ, we must ensure that their deeply held values are transformed by the gospel. If they are not then what happens is that the person believes the gospel for things related to the hereafter. However, when it comes to daily needs and concerns like a sick child then the person turns back to their former religious practices. (Dirks, 2012)
The Gospel transcends culture, but it does not replace culture. The message still stands that each person translates the Gospel in light of their own culture. It is important to be a student of culture and know how it impacts daily lives while knowing the absolute Truth presented in the Gospel. This is not easy though, as there are many aspects of a culture that might seem innocent to one, when in truth, they are not. K.P. Yohannon speaks of Yoga in such a light. As many in Western Culture view Yoga as uplifting and relaxing, in Eastern cultures it is used “... to open up the mind and body to receive visitations from demon spirits.” (Yohannan, 2004) This is a startling reality and is evidence that not all cultural norms are profitable in presenting the Gospel, there must be a method of knowing culture while knowing the Truth in combatting syncretism.
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32, ESV) Christ’s words reveal the solution plainly, but it is obviously not so simple. Evaluating the missionaries and mission work must be in light of the Truth. As William Taylor noted, “Christ is the plumb line to evaluate missions and missionaries.” (Taylor, 1993) The obvious difficulty arises when one’s culture is brought into the mix. One cannot simply look at Scriptures and claim that their grasp on a matter is accurate. There are some truths which leave no room for interpretation, but as a whole “... we must acknowledge that while Scripture judges all cultures, our perception of Scripture is often very ethnocentric or culturally based.” (Taylor, 1993) It is therefore a daunting, yet necessary task to be able to accurately study the Truth of God’s word and present it to different cultures so that it might be understood and accepted. This will not be accomplished by studying Scripture in light of the culture, but studying the culture in light of Scripture. The danger of not doing so is an obvious path towards syncretism. Without the foundational knowledge being grounded, the opportunity for half-truths to enter and lead astray can abound. It is therefore essential to judge the culture in light of the Bible and Biblical authority. George Patterson named the three levels of Biblical authority as: 1) New Testament Commands; 2) Apostolic Practices; and 3) Human Customs. (Winter, et. al., 2009) The missionaries must know the Truth of God’s word and minister out of that knowledge while being a student of culture. This is an intimidating task from the eyes of just one missionary, it then becomes essential to train leaders who will assist in this task.
As Moses was encouraged by his father-in-law to train up leaders in Exodus 18, so too must missionaries train leaders from among the people they aim to minister. Steve de Gruchy writes that “What we must do, rather, is to train and equip leaders so that they have the ability to read their own situation and respond accordingly.” (de Gruchy, 1997) When a lay leader is built up and empowered, the work of the missionary does not simply cease when the missionary leaves. This provides continuity in ministry, but also allows greater opportunities for culture to be assessed. The words of de Gruchy provide deeper insight:
A key component of a theology for lay people has to do with training, developing and empowering leaders in various communities. Each local church or outstation functions within a microcosm of social, economic and cultural forces, and the preaching and pastoral practice has to relate to that context. (de Gruchy, 1997)
Within the ministry context, the best way to combat syncretism is to build up leaders who know and understand the culture and could therefore know where it would most likely arise. Additionally, by sharing a “heart language and culture,” they would be in a greater position to effect positive change that transforms the deeply held values. This is not easy though, and it leads to perhaps the greatest form knowledge must be imparted: education.
Empowering the leaders of a culture allows them to minister in ways that many Western missionaries could not, but these leaders pose a greater threat to bringing about syncretism if they are not trained. However;
If the missionary focuses on developing the church to a stage where the decisions are made by the community of indigenous believers as they carefully explore the Scriptures, then the community will be able to serve as a self-correcting one long after the missionary is gone. (Moreau, 2004)
The goal for any ministry should not be to multiply, but to empower so that others might empower and thus create a wave of leaders empowered by the truth of the Gospel. A stark reality of a missionary not educating a group so that they might be self-correcting lies in the image of a broken water pump in sub Saharan Africa. The group had provided the means to meet a need and provided the source for water, but had not educated and empowered anyone to fix the pump should it break. In regards to theological training and education, “Curricula that integrates theory with immersion, counseling, spiritual formation and life experience will create the needed symbiosis for holism.” (Wanka, n.d.) Again, education provides the means necessary for the group being presented with the Gospel to combat syncretism themselves. Wanka also gives an example of the need to address syncretism in theological education:
In the 1980’s I was involved in starting a grassroots Bible school for leadership development among rural lay pastors in Mindanao. We trained them to study their Bibles, to evangelize, to preach, to plant Churches, to marry and bury. But something was missing and I didn’t realize what it was for some time. Our theology and teaching had not adequately entered the lives of people, their worldviews, their fears, the oppressive elements in their lives and their poverty. (Wanka, 1997)
Going back to Dirks, it is important to “... ensure that their deeply held values are transformed by the gospel.” (Dirks, 2012) When this education does transform the whole person, they will then be effective in multiplying the reach of the Gospel. K.P. Yohannan advocates that, when properly equipped, native missionaries can have a greater impact than Western missionaries. When it comes to theological education, “Gospel for Asia has established 67 Bible colleges in the heart of the 10/40 window... Before [native missionaries] finish their year training, each student will have carefully read through the Bible at least three times.” (Yohannan, 2004) When it boils down to it, this is simply not a debated issue: theological knowledge is vital as a tool to not simply combat syncretism but to also bring the multitudes to Christ as well. It is therefore important to know the Truth, as it brings freedom, know culture, as each culture is a part of who a person is and then to empower and educate as native leaders will have a far greater reach than any outsider.
Lack of knowledge can be the cause of many problems in this world. Be it a person simply making a fool of themselves to experiencing God’s wrath, lack of knowledge is dangerous. On the other hand, the benefits of having knowledge are exponential; from winning game shows to knowing the true path to salvation. When a missionary immerses themselves in a culture and formulate a method of presenting the truth of the Gospel, they must walk dangerously close to the edge of syncretism in their efforts to understand culture. If they do not have a firm Biblical foundation, then they might fall into syncretism themselves, as some have done. Similarly, if they have not studied the culture in light of Biblical authority, they will find themselves sorely ineffective as they do not know who they are ministering to and are attempting a “cookie cutter” method in presenting the Gospel. When the missionary does find the balance of Biblical truth and cultural awareness and are then able to empower lay leaders and educate them on the Truth, they will find their ministries exponentially effective. When this does not happen, the ominous “You’re doing it wrong” will come on the day of judgment, and the missionary will not just have to answer for themselves, but also for those who were led astray by their syncretous teachings.
References
COLONIALISM AND POSTCOLONIALISM. (2011). In Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (2011, October 29). Retrieved February 4, 2012, from Credo Reference.
De Gruchy, S. (1997, November). Doing Theology in the Kalahari. University of Cape Town / Welcome. Retrieved February 04, 2012, from http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/ricsa/jtsa/j99/j99sdeg.htm
Dirks, R. (2012, January 29). Crown final week [E-mail to the author].
Harris, D., & Soden, B. (2008, January 21). Segregated Sundays: Taking on Race and Religion – ABC News. ABCNews.com - Breaking News, Latest News & Top Video News - ABC News. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://abcnews.go.com/WN/BlackHistory/story?id=4165468
Methodism. (2005). In Britain and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. (2009, January 12). Retrieved February 4, 2012, from Credo Reference.
MISSIONARIES. (2005). In Encyclopedia of World Trade From Ancient Times to the Present. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. (2009, October 1). Retrieved February 4, 2012, from Credo Reference.
Moreau, A. S., Corwin, G., & McGee, G. B. (2004). Introducing world missions. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
Syncretism. (1993). In Bloomsbury Guide to Human Thought. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. (2002, January 1). Retrieved February 4, 2012, from Credo Reference.
Syncretism -- Evangelism Misconceptions, a Real Problem. (n.d.). Bible Study, Evangelism Tools, Outreach and Discipleship Resources for Small Group Bible Study. Retrieved February 04, 2012, from http://www.goodseed.com/learning/abwm-guide-2/
Taylor, W. D. (1994). Kingdom partnerships for synergy in missions. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library.
Wanak, L. C. (n.d.). Theological Education. Theological Education and the Role of Teaching in the 21st Century: A Look at the Asia Pacific Region. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.pctii.org/cyberj/cyberj7/wanak.html
Winter, R. D., Hawthorne, S. C., Dorr, D. R., Graham, D. B., & Koch, B. A. (Eds.). (2009). Perspectives on the world Christian movement: A reader. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library.
Yohannan, K. P. (2004). Revolution in world missions. Carrollton, TX: GFA Books.
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